Chapter 14

Steve came back into the hospital room when Tara was looking for the rest of her belongings. "All bandages are changed, some of the burns have become a little infected. I have made an updated entry in the file." She said.

"When will he wake up?" Steve asked uncertainly.

"The sedative was reduced last night, so I would say over the course of the morning." Tara estimates as accurately as she can with her years of experience.

Steve said nothing and sat in silence as the nurse left the room. Deep in thought, his elbows resting on his knees, Steve sat and waited for his friend to wake up. However, many questions ran through his head.

- What Danny couldn't forgive his team for finding him so late?

- What if he had lost confidence in his colleagues, because he felt let down?

- What if his disappearance had been noticed sooner?

- What if he had noticed the van?

- What if he had gone with Danny for a beer?

- What if Barbara Malone was right and Danny really didn't run the investigation correctly?

All of the "what if's" flew across his brain numerous times, but that made it no easier and most importantly, it did not help Danny. With a quiet, constant beeping, Danny was brought back into consciousness. His mind played a trick on him yet, because he could not remember what had happened to him. Or where he was and especially why his whole body felt as if it had been filled with lead. He wanted to open his eyes, but something prevented it. Panic rose in him and his heart rate increased, as well as his breathing. With small, fast breaths, he tried to sit up, only to moan in pain.

The modified beep immediately drew Steve's attention. Gently, he took Danny's hand to show him that he was not alone.

"Danny can you hear me? Are you awake?" He asked softly.

"Oww!" Danny mumbled quietly.

"Hey, it's okay. Your eyes are irritated, otherwise they are okay." Steve took Danny's hand with which he had tried to pull the bandages on his eyes off.

"Steve?" Danny whispered hoarsely through the oxygen mask. "I'm here. How do you feel?" Steve asked.

"I don't … know. What ... happened?" Danny stammered weakly, before a fit of coughing followed.

"Do not talk so much, that's not good." McGarrett ordered his sick friend, while he wordlessly pressed the call button next to the bed. After several attempts to move into a more comfortable position, Danny gave up. No matter how he lay down, it always hurt somewhere. Resigned, he sank back into the pillows, but was startled as he heard the door open with a creak. Steve had noticed this reaction and immediately put a calming hand on Danny's shoulder.

"It's only Dr. Franklin and Tara, your nurse!" He explained quickly. Immediately Steve noticed how Danny somewhat relaxed, but remained slightly tense.

"Hey, detective, I'm Dr. Franklin. How are you? " The doctor asked as he studied the body posture of his patients.

"Tired!" Danny admitted truthfully.

"That's not surprising. Now I would like to see your eyes." The doctor informed Danny.

"Okay!" Croaked Danny under his mask he still wore. Doctor Franklin stood beside the bed and pulled a pair of scissors from his coat pocket.

"I will now cut through the bandaging with a scissors, so please do not be alarmed if it is a little cold." He informed his patient about his first step. Danny gave a slight nod, confirming that the doctor could begin. After Tara had fetched the bandaging, he said the next step. "Next, I'll remove the compresses. Let your eyes stay closed a moment longer, they will still be sensitive." Danny nodded again.

No sooner was the bandaging away had Danny winced. The brightness still penetrated his closed eyelids and caused a sharp pain in his skull. When the doctor realized that Danny's face relaxed a bit, he continued, "If you want, you may open your eyes now." They all watched Danny curiously. He wasn't sure he wanted to risk the pain, as the stinging pain had just dulled to a light throb at the back of his head. Finally, he decided to do it anyway. Carefully, he blinked a little and found that it was quite dark in the room.

Someone had lowered the blinds and turned off the light. The first Danny saw was Steve, who stood on his left side and grinned at him before he turned his head, because he was approached by Dr. Franklin.

"When your eyes begin to itch or burn, please do not rub, otherwise it will only get worse. Then I would like to listen to your lungs, maybe we could replace the mask with a cannula."

As if Danny could see nothing, the doctor waited again for a sign to start. "All right." Came a scratchy reply.

The doctor gently ran the stethoscope across Danny's chest and back. Every now and then, Danny jumped slightly when a particularly sensitive spot was hit.

"Sounds good so far." He said and then turned to Tara. "I want his oxygen saturation still controlled, and if it should fall below 95% I want you to switch back to the mask." "Will do." Tara confirmed the order and went to the surveillance monitor of Danny's vital signs were displayed permanently. With a few taps, it terminated the alarm range. "Can you remember the last few days?" Dr. Franklin asked Danny in order to assess the extent of the trauma.

Danny thought and suddenly the memories hit him like a tone of bricks. "The cell ... beatings... a syringe!" He closed his eyes and went on to tell in bullet points. "Cigarettes... water jet... fire and smoke!"

With deep wrinkles creasing his forehead, he pulled his blanket up under his chin, as if to protect himself from all these things.

"You're safe now. The woman is never going to do something like that again." Steve said, as he laid his hand on Danny's shoulder again.

"Try to sleep a little, that's the best thing you can give your body." The doctor advised before leaving the room.

Tara took a few last notes in the file and then left, too.

Steve and Danny were not alone for long, as the door opened noisily. Danny was startled again, even though he had just dozed off. Chin and Kono saw the shocked face of their colleagues and got a bad conscience.

"Oh, sorry! We did not mean to scare you." Kono apologized.

"It's okay! You didn't know I was awake." Danny replied softly, as his throat was still very sore.

"Is there anything new?" Steve asked Chin Kono.

"We looked into Beverly and it was exactly how it looked. She has made it her hobby. She is currently reported in Texas, we have forwarded it to the appropriate Police Department." Chin explained the current facts.

"How are you, Danny?" Kono asked, staring at Danny's pale, drawn face and bright red, swollen eyes.

"I think I'll be fine. In a few days I'll be fit again!" He wanted to convince himself as much as them. He blinked wearily.

"We do not want to disturb you even longer, there is still a little paperwork that wants to be done." Kono said quickly.

"Shall I come with you so it goes faster?" Steve offered to help.

"I think we swill get through it without you. We will come back once we are done. Should we bring something to eat?" Chin asked Steve.

"That's a good idea. I'll see you later." Steve said, waving goodbye to Chin and Kono.

Shortly after Danny fell asleep again, Steve tried to make himself comfortable in the uncomfortable seat beside Danny's bed. Steve was glad Danny got his well-deserved sleep, he could imagine only partially what he had been through in the last few days. Around noon, Danny slowly woke up. "Hey, you're still here?" Danny whispered hoarsely.

"Sure, where else would I be?" Steve joked.

"I'm sure you've done more than just watch me sleep. What ninja moves have you made?"

"I have not made a ninja move! And, nothing is more important than you!" Steve justified.

"Would you get me something to drink while you're here?" Danny asked, as he noticed how dry and scratchy his throat was.

"Be right back!" Steve said and he nodded and stood up to get a glass and a bottle of water for his friend.